Detachable head for wet mop



F' 1959 E. B. LOHMAN v 2,880,437-

DETACHABLE HEAD FOR WET MOP Filed March 28, 1955 INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent DETACHABLE HEAD FOR WET MOP Everett B. Lehman, Marysville, Calif.

Application March 28, 1955, Serial No. 497,019

6 Claims. (Cl. --120) This invention relates to mop structures for scrubbing and cleaning purposes, and its principal object resides in the provision of a rugged and durable mop construction bywhich is afforded a simple and economical arrangement for the attachment of separate fibrous strands of high absorptive qualities and providing a liberal head portion carrying the strands to process a maximum of 'surface over which the device is operated and with a minimum of effort in its handling.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a mop structure wherein the head portion, to which the fibrous strands are attached, is arranged on the handle portion in such a manner as to minimize the effort required in the operation of the device while contacting a maximum amount of surface to scrub or wax floors, oil finished surfaces, and the like, and provide a mop assembly in which bare, unpadded portions thereof are not brought into contact with the floor or other surfaces under treatment.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel head construction by which the mop can be twisted about the handle to wring the same to remove excess water,

after rinsing the mop, without hindering the removal of Figure l is a fragmentary illustration of one side of the mop head and the lower end of the handle, portions being cut away to show the head construction and detachable securing device for the head.

Figure 2 illustrates an end view of a modified head, showing the divided strands fragmentarily, and illustrating a securing means for the device for removably securing the head to the handle.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the mop head attached to the handle, shown fragmentarily, and illustrating the device for slidably securing the ends of the strands to the handle.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the head and the enclosed portion for the securing device, the handle being shown in transverse section on lines 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the handle, taken on lines 55 of Figure 3, showing the band for securing the strands to the handle, and

Figure 6 fragmentarily illustrates one end of the mop head of Fig. 2 in plan showing the securing strip for the head attaching member.

The invention is characterized by a mop head, generalice ly designated by the numeral 10, which comprises a sheaf of fiber strands 11 connected in juxtaposed parallel association by fabric strips 12 and 13 longitudinally across the assembled strands intermediate their ends and on each side thereof, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Another fabric strip 14 is stitched to the top strip 12 so that a tunnel 15 is formed, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, whose function will presently become apparent.

A handle 16 is provided which has a metal loop 17 attached to its lower end, and which is formed from a fiat metal strip in a substantial U-shape, so that its legs 18 extend into the lower end of the handle 16, the latter being bound by a series of windings of wire 19, as apparent in Figures 1 and 3. The legs 18 of the member 17 are shown in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 4.

The mop head 10 is detachably secured to the handle 16 by a pin 20, which is preferably formed from a metal strip and is arcuate in transverse section as illustrated in dotted lines in Figures 2 and 3, to insure rigidity. The member 20 is projected into the tunnel 15 through one end thereof and through the loop 17 on the handle 16 to secure the mop head 10 thereto. An opening 21 is provided intermediate the ends of the tunnel 15 to receive the loop 17, as illustrated in Figure 1. A portion of the top tape 14 is cut away at its center to form the opening 21. I

The fiber strands 11 may be of any desired length, but in any case should be long enough to turn back upon the handle 16 so that their free ends can be attached thereto through the medium of a band 22 which slidably embraces the handle 16 and may readily be detached therefrom by untying the cord 23 attached to the band 22 and expanding the latter. 4 The band 22 is shown in detail in lateral section in Figure 5. The band 22 partially encircles the handle 16 and comprises a double thickness of material forming a tube through which the cord 23 is passed. The adjacent ends of the strands 11 maybe attached to the band 22 inany suitable manner, as by stitching.

It is apparent, therefore, that the mop head 10 can be wrung out, after rinsing, by twisting the strands 11 about the handle 16, as by grasping the band 22 and rotating the same while holding the handle 16. When the mop head 10 becomes worn or otherwise impaired, the pin 20 can be withdrawn from the tunnel 15, and consequently the loop 17, and disposed of, and a new head 10 can be attached. The pin 20 is secured against displacement by one of the strands 11 which is passed through an aperture 24 in the right angular portion 25 of the pin 20, illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and shown in application in Figure 3 and tied to the handle 16.

To prevent the pin 20 from being accidentally removed from the head 10 a fabric strip 26 is provided which may be secured at one end to the head 10 by stitching, or the like, as shown in Figures 2 and 6, and detachably fastened at its opposite end across the rightangular portion 25 of the pin 20 by a snap-fastener, or other device 27. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the fabric strip 26 is not required.

Manifestly, the structure herein shown and described is capable of certain changes and modifications, by persons skilled in the art, Without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mop construction, in combination with a handle, a detachable head for a wet mop comprising a plurality of fiber strands connected transversely of and intermediate their ends by a fabric strip, another fabric strip superimposed upon the uniting strip and stitched along each edge to form a tunnel transversely of the united strands, the last mentioned strip having an opening intermediate its ends communicating With the tunnel, a metal loop secured to the end of said handle and adapted to extend into said opening and tunnel, a rigid strip removably secured through said tunnel and said loop uniting said strands to said handle, and means secured to the free ends of said strands for slidably attaching same to said handle above said loop.

2. In a detachable head for a Wet mop, in combination with a handle, a plurality of fiber strands arranged in juxtaposition in parallel relation to each other and having a fabric strip stitched to said strands uniting the same, another fabric strip superimposed upon said uniting strip and stitched along each edge to form a tunnel transversely of said united strands intermediate their ends, the last mentioned strip having an opening intermediate its ends communicating with the tunnel, a loop attached to the end of said handle aligned With said opening, a rigid strip removably extending through said tunnel and said loop to secure said strands to said handle, and means slidably and detachably securing the free ends of said strands to said handle above said loop.

3. In a detachable head for wet mops, in combination with a mop handle, a plurality of fiber strands arranged in juxtaposition and in parallel relation to each other, a fabric strip intermediate the ends of said strands uniting said strands into a sheaf, a second fabric strip secured to said uniting strip longitudinally thereof and forming a tunnel having an open end and an opening intermediate its ends, a rigid loop on the end of said handle insertable into said opening, a rigid strip insertable into said tunnel and through said loop to secure said united strands to said handle, and means on the free ends of said strands uniting the same and slidably and rotatably securing the same to said handle.

4. In a mop construction, a removable head for a Wet mop having a handle and a rigid loop on the operative end of said handle, a plurality of fiber strands arranged in juxtaposition and in parallel relation to each other, a fabric strip intermediate the ends of the strands uniting the strands into a sheaf, a second fabric strip secured to the uniting strip longitudinally thereof and forming a tunnel transversely of said sheaf of strands intermediate their ends, one end of said tunnel being open and an opening being formed in the last mentioned strip intermediate its ends, and communicating with the tunnel, to receive said rigid loop, a rigid strip removably arranged in said tunnel and through said loop, and means secured to the free ends of said strands uniting the same and providing for the slidable and rotatable securement thereof to said handle.

5. In a Wet mop, the combination of an elongated handle having a rigid loop attached to one end thereof, a mop head comprising a plurality of fiber strands arranged in side by side relation to each other, a fabric strip arranged transversely with respect to the strands, intermediate their ends, whereby the strands are connected to form a sheaf, a fabric strip secured to the first mentioned strip and forming a tunnel having an open end and an opening intermediate its ends, the loop on the handle being removably inserted in the opening, a rigid strip removably inserted in the tunnel and through the loop to secure the mop head to the handle, and means slidably and detachably securing the free ends of the strands to the handle above the loop.

6. In a Wet mop as described in claim 5, a flexible band arranged transversely with respect to the free ends of the strand whereby the free ends of the strands are connected, the band being flexed about the handle and having its ends detachably connected to each other whereby the free ends of the strands are slidably and rotatably secured to the handle above the loop.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,492,894 Perego May 6, 1924 1,720,025 Anderson July 9', 1929 1,848,481 Hertzberg -a Mar. 8,v 1932 1,850,046 Anderson Mar. 15, 1932 1,886,338 Hirth Nov. 1, 1932 2,076,946 Huber Apr. 13, 1937 2,587,913 Smith Mar. 4, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 131,853 Australia Mar. 21, 1949 769,375 France June 5, 1934 

